Playwrights Horizons

Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit American Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work.

Playwrights Horizons

Address	416 West 42nd Street Manhattan, New York City United States
Owner	Playwrights Horizon, Inc.
Type	Off-Broadway
Capacity	Mainstage: 198 Peter Jay Sharp: 128
Website
www.playwrightshorizons.org

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Adam Greenfield^[1][2] and former Managing Director Leslie Marcus,^[3] Playwrights Horizons encourages the new work of veteran writers while nurturing an emerging generation of theater artists. Writers are supported through every stage of their growth with a series of development programs: script and score evaluations, commissions, readings, musical theater workshops, Studio and Mainstage productions.

History

Playwrights Horizons was founded in 1971 at the Clark Center Y by Robert Moss, before moving to 42nd Street in 1977 where it was one of the original theaters that started Theater Row by converting adult entertainment venues into off Broadway theaters. The current building was built on the site of a former burlesque, which previously served as the off-Broadway Maidman Playhouse between 1960 and 1966.^[4]

André Bishop served as Artistic Director from 1981 to 1991, followed by Don Scardino who served through 1995. Tim Sanford served as Artistic Director from 1996 until July 2020, serving as "outgoing Artistic Director" during the 2020-2021 season.^[1] Adam Greenfield took over as Artistic Director in July 2020.^[1]

Playwrights Horizons has worked with over 375 writers and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.^[5]

Playwrights Horizons' auxiliary programs include the Playwrights Horizons Theater School, which is affiliated with NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and Ticket Central, a central box office that supports the off-Broadway performing arts community.

Notable productions

Past productions include seven Pulitzer Prize winners:

• Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop (2020)^[6]
• Annie Baker's The Flick (2014)^[7]
• Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2011)^[8]
• Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (2004)^[9]
• Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles (1989)^[10]
• Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy (1988)^[11]
• Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George (1985)^[12]

Other notable productions include:

• In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland – William Finn
• The Dining Room – A.R. Gurney
• Assassins – Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman
• The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin – Kirsten Childs
• James Joyce's The Dead – Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey
• Lobby Hero – Kenneth Lonergan
• Betty's Summer Vacation and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You – Christopher Durang
• Goodnight Children Everywhere and Franny's Way – Richard Nelson
• The Substance of Fire – Jon Robin Baitz
• Marvin's Room – Scott McPherson
• Floyd Collins – Adam Guettel and Tina Landau
• Violet – Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley
• Small Tragedy and Prayer for My Enemy – Craig Lucas
• Grey Gardens – Doug Wright, Scott Frankel, and Michael Korie
• This – Melissa James Gibson
• Clybourne Park and The Pain and the Itch – Bruce Norris
• Circle Mirror Transformation and The Flick – Annie Baker
• The Curious Case of the Watson Intelligence — Madeleine George
• Hir — Taylor Mac
• Detroit – Lisa D'Amour
• Dance Nation — Clare Barron
• Heroes of the Fourth Turning – Will Arbery
• The Treasurer - Max Posner^[13]
• The Thanksgiving Play — Larissa FastHorse

References

1. McPhee, Ryan (2019). "Tim Sanford to Step Down as Playwrights Horizons Artistic Director". Playbill. Playbill.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
2. Sherman, Rachel (May 9, 2023). "'Teeth' Adaptation and 'Stereophonic' in Playwrights Horizons New Season". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
3. "Managing Director Leslie Marcus to Step Down from Playwrights Horizons". AMERICAN THEATRE. December 21, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
4. "Maidman Playhouse". Lortel Archives. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
5. Roberts, Sam (July 6, 2005). "City Groups Get Bloomberg Gift of $20 Million". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
6. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
7. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
8. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
9. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
10. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
11. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
12. "The Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
13. Brantley, Ben (September 27, 2017). "Review: In 'The Treasurer,' a Son Remembers Mama, as She Forgets Everything". The New York Times.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Playwrights Horizons.

• Official website
• Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theatre at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at the Internet Off-Broadway Database

40°45′31″N 73°59′37″W / 40.75861°N 73.99361°W / 40.75861; -73.99361